10

ALTHEA

Five years, it had been five years since the love of my life went to the capital to complete his alpha training. I was supposed to go with him, as the genius of the century, that's what they called me when I passed the test of the royal academy. Unfortunately, my luck was not on my side. Despite breaking the scoring record of our beloved king, I was told to never step a foot into the capital.

Life was very unfair. It was stupid and meaningless. I was being punished for something my parents did. They were the traitors, not me. But the pack was determined to punish me. Or rather, they were all taking advantage of me. They stripped my home naked, stole everything I had. All because Beta Calvin orders me to take the doors of my house. Even my sacrifice, and the scar on my face, couldn't change their thoughts about me.

I didn't care about them at all. That day, I was extremely happy. Because after five long years, my beloved was coming back home. After five years of hard training and uncountable broken bones, bruises, and countless wounds on my soul, I was finally able to lend a few blows at Alexander. Alpha Damon chose him to be my trainer because Alexander was actually the best. And I never said anything even if he had broken my bones. I knew that training would at least get me to become a warrior at the pack.

It was the same as always. He was training me just because it was Alpha's orders. And as always, he didn't even try to hide his hatred towards me. I didn't know why he hated me. I was his cousin. We were family, especially after we both had no one else left but each other. Not that it hurt me anymore. I had gotten accustomed to that hatred. I was the daughter of two traitors.

Sometimes, eed wonder if my mother was correct about everything. The pack didn't accept anything about my sacrifice. They didn't see how I stayed behind to take all the hatred and remained loyal to my Alpha.

What hurt me the most was the way Luna turned away from me. She used to be my mother figure. And Callista wanted me to live with her. But Luna went crazy and Callista had to drop the idea. I tried to ignore everything but it was hurtful. No one let me work. In the end, I was forced to work as a toilet cleaner at a bar just so I could make the ends meet. Callista would help me from time to time. Make me do her homework and pay me in exchange. I was grateful for a friend like Callista.

We were out in the field. Alexander grabbed my neck and slammed me to the ground. "Can I go home earlier today?" I finally asked him the question I had been willing to ask him since I had arrived at the field.

"And why is that? It's not like anyone's waiting for you back home?" As always, Alexander taunted me. He pressed that same wound again, knowing well how much it hurt me.

I exhaled shakily and gulped hard. I had gotten accustomed to all that bitterness in my life. "Randy is coming back home today. Alpha asked me to be at his office so I could meet him. Luna banned me from visiting him at the station." I replied in a low tone, without showing how much his words hurt me.

Alexander let go of my neck and took a few steps away from me. "Fine! You are free to go today. But I will be expecting you for some extra training at the same time tomorrow. My job won't be done until you can take at least two werewolves together." Alexander growled at me in annoyance as he walked away.

Nodding my head, I stood up. I went back home. I quickly showered and stepped out of the bathroom. I was standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. As always, Alexander painted my body with blue, pink, purple, and red bruises all over it. "I have to hide them with the powder I bought. I don't want Randy to see these ugly marks on my body." I spoke while staring into the mirror.

I quickly got dressed and hid all the bruises with the powder foundation. I wore some makeup my mother had left. I just put on some gloss and liner. I was staring at my reflection. Sadness covered my face as I looked at my face. "How do I hide these ugly scars on my face?" I asked myself as tears welled up in my eyes.

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My heart was pounding erratically inside my rib cage as I made my way toward Alpha's office. I had a few bags in my hands. They were full of gifts that I had bought him for his birthdays. I couldn't send them because I was banned from sending anything to the kingdom's capital. Alpha told me to keep everything here. And then give it to Orlando when he gets back home.

My feet froze as I got closer to Alpha's office. I stopped by the wall. I was hugging the bag with his gifts tightly. "My son! You are finally here." Alpha announced loudly. My heart skipped a few beats and a small smile appeared on my face. The love of my life was back home.